IDAHO MEDIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL

Class 5A

1. Eagle (9) 4-0 56

2. Capital (1) 4-0 43

3. Highland (1) 2-2 30

4. Lewiston (1) 4-0 16

4. Vallivue 4-0 16

Others receiving votes: Mountain View 15, Lake City 3, Post Falls 1.

My picks: 1. Capital, 2. Eagle, 3. Highland, 4. Vallivue, 5. Mountain View.

It's another avalanche weekend for movies in the Treasure Valley. Nine are opening Oct. 3. Like, hasn't Hollywood realized we prefer quality over quantity?

1) Sci-fi horror film “Blindness” is drawing protests from the National Federation of the Blind for its portrayal of blind people.

2) Drew Barrymore is the voice of the main pooch in “Beverly Hills Chihuahua," which will appeal to young 'uns.

We've made some changes to our homepage that we think will help you find more of the stories you are interested in. First, right below the multimedia box, we've added quick access to the most recent work from many of our columnists. Click on the names to see their three most recent columns. Click on "more..." to access the rest on that columnist's page.

Republican Kevin McGowan is taking on a tall challenge: He is trying to win in North and East Boise's District 19, one of the state's most reliably Democratic outposts.

If McGowan manages to win, he also poses a challenge for House Republican leadership: Would they let a moderate Republican cast votes the represent the opinions of one of Idaho's most liberal legislative districts?

McGowan and Democrat Brian Cronin — vying for a House seat left vacant by state Senate candidate Nicole LeFavour — are similar in many ways.

Many of you have made your voices heard in this week's Name the Score contest. If you haven't predicted a score for the Boise State-Louisiana Tech game and taken your shot at winning a $20 gift certificate from Domino's Pizza, do so here.

The contest remains open until 5 p.m.

In Boise's legislative District 18, one House race is shaping up to be a referendum on Republican legislative leadership.

And a no-holds-barred referendum at that.

On the one side, incumbent Rep. Branden Durst says job is to represent Idaho's largest city, even if fulfilling his role ruffles feathers with rural House GOP leaders. "It's supposed to," the Boise Democrat told the Statesman editorial board recently. "That's the point."

The path to delisting the Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf just got steeper with a decision by a Washington D.C. federal judge this week. The delisting of Yellowstone grizzly bears may also be in doubt.

Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the Bush administration Monday to take back protection for gray wolves in the Great Lakes area under the Endangered Species Act. His decision, while technical cuts to the heart of managing endangered species, especially large predators that have so many conflicts with people.

I'll be blogging this morning about two interesting legislative races. But let me start a real argument by first getting baseball out of my system.

Time for the editorial page editor's fearless Division Series predictions:

• Rays in five (I like their starting pitching and they have this team-of-destiny feel. So this may be a sentimental pick. And if the Chisox get another outing out of Danks like they did last night, that changes everything).

Some big-game hunters use warming fires. It's kind of a traditional thing but a practice that needs to end.

If you dress properly for the hunt, there is no need for a warming fire. A warming fire is a small fire built in a spot where the hunter may be sitting and scanning the mountainsides for deer or elk. The problem is, the fire may be in a spot where everything around it can catch fire and cause a major forest fire, especially with such dry conditions after continued drought.

A Foolish look at Micron • Priest River down but not out • Co-star from Idaho reflects on Paul Newman • Galena cell tower still could happen • Fire south of Twin didn't get the memo that fire season's over • Protecting the majestic and iconic ... wolverine !?